Minneapolis East Side Storage and Maintenance Facility

The City of Minneapolis wanted stormwater treatment to be displayed front and center on this LEED Gold Certified project. Stormwater from the roof cascades over waterfalls and along runnels as it passes through multiple rain gardens. Intimate seating along with interpretive signage allow visitors to be up close and personal with these features to learn how they treat the rainwater runoff before it reaches the Mississippi River. A public art piece by a local artist was installed in a small plaza at the end of the stormwater treatment train to further draw more visitors to the site.

To enhance the sustainability of the site, permeable paving, drought tolerant plants, no-mow lawn, and pollinator friendly plants were installed throughout the site. An urban orchard was also installed, along with separated walking and biking paths, to increase visitor interaction with the site.